Maruti Suzuki XL6 CNG vs Ertiga CNG: Which one should you buy?

The combination of rising petrol prices and the abandoning of diesel engines is seeing Maruti Suzuki move towards CNG to offer buyers a more cost-effective powertrain option. Recently, Maruti Suzuki extended its S-CNG portfolio to its Nexa line of products by launching the Baleno CNG and XL6 CNG.

The XL6 CNG shares a lot in common with the Ertiga CNG but the two MPVs also differ in some ways. We tell you more about the similarities and differences between the CNG versions of the XL6 and Ertiga.  

Maruti Suzuki XL6 CNG vs Ertiga CNG: engine, fuel economy

The Ertiga and the XL6 are both based on the Heartect platform and powered by the same 1.5-litre K15C engine. With the CNG kit on board, both MPVs make 101hp in petrol mode and 88hp in CNG mode. They also get a 60-litre CNG tank tucked in the boot. According to Maruti, the Ertiga CNG will return 26.11km/kg while the XL6 will return slightly more, at 26.32km/kg.

Maruti Suzuki XL6 CNG vs Ertiga CNG: exterior, interior 

The XL6 is positioned as the more premium alternative to the Ertiga. Apart from looking more rugged, the raised bonnet line, a larger and bolder grille, and a scuff plate give the XL6 a crossover-like appearance. On the inside, the XL6 features an all-black theme, compared to the beige on the Ertiga. Most important, however, is the fact that the XL6 is a 6-seater with captain's chairs in the middle row, while the Ertiga is a 7-seater with a bench seat layout. 

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga CNG vs XL6 CNG: variants, features 

While the XL6 CNG has been launched only in the entry-level Zeta trim, the Ertiga CNG is offered in the mid-spec VXi and the higher-spec ZXi trims. The Ertiga’s range-topping ZXi+ variant doesn't get a CNG option. 

In terms of features, the XL6 CNG Zeta trim gets a few features over the Ertiga CNG ZXi like cruise control and side airbags. However, when compared to its own higher variants, which are not offered with a CNG, the XL6 Zeta misses out on goodies like a 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitoring system, and ventilated seats. The Ertiga CNG too misses out on a few features that the top-spec petrol-only ZXi+ offers like reversing camera and auto headlamps.

Maruti Suzuki XL6 CNG vs Ertiga CNG: pricing, availability 

The XL6 CNG Zeta is priced at Rs 12.24 lakh, making it Rs 1.74 lakh more expensive than the mid-spec Ertiga CNG VXi. It also costs Rs 64,000 more than the higher-spec Ertiga CNG ZXi. When it comes to how the CNG variants compare to their petrol counterparts, the XL6 CNG costs Rs 95,000 more than its petrol-only variants, while the difference is Rs 1.1 lakh for the Ertiga. 

The XL6 CNG is sold through Maruti’s premium Nexa chain of dealerships, while the Ertiga is sold through the Arena showrooms. When it comes to waiting periods, dealer sources tell us that the XL6 currently commands a waiting period of less than a month, while the Ertiga CNG has a waiting period of seven months.

Maruti Suzuki XL6 CNG vs Ertiga CNG: which one to buy? 

Of the two, it is the Ertiga, and more specifically the VXi trim, that makes the most sense as a CNG MPV. At Rs 9.55 lakh, it is significantly cheaper than the XL6 and is also considerably more affordable than the ZXi. What makes it a good value is that the Ertiga and the XL6 are the same cars under the skin and also share the same CNG powertrain. Hence, an Ertiga buyer is not really missing out on aspects like comfort, performance and running costs.

However, if you are ready to pay the premium and want something more feature loaded, we suggest you skip the Ertiga ZXi and go directly for the XL6. Compared to the Ertiga CNG ZXi, the XL6 gets more features like cruise control and side airbags. It also gets captain’s chairs for the second row – all of which help justify the XL6 CNG Zeta’s added premium of Rs 64,000 over the Ertiga CNG ZXi. 

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Maruti Suzuki achieves record production in India; crosses 2.5 crore units